The Quest for Penny
by MmeMoirae
Summary: For five years Dr. Sheldon Cooper has been plotting for his greatest quest – the capture of Queen Penelope – while an unsuspecting Penny has been trying to grasp onto the expanding feelings for the man she never expected.
1. Chapter One

_Summary: For five years Dr. Sheldon Cooper has been plotting for his greatest quest – the capture of Queen Penelope – while an unsuspecting Penny has been trying to grasp onto the expanding feelings for the man she never expected._

_Gentle Readers,_

_This story includes spoilers from Season 1 through Season 5 and picks up during Episode 510 "The Flaming Spittoon Acquisition" directly after the kitchen scene with Penny and Sheldon. (The rest of that episode and anything afterward isn't reflected in this story, though I may/will be including spoilers that work within this plot.) This may end up slightly AU or OOC. _

_I own nothing._

_Final note, this is my first fanfic. I've been an avid fan of the show since the first season and am very much a "Shenny" shipper. Reviews and constructive criticism are welcomed and encouraged! _

_I hope you enjoy._

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><p><em>Knock, knock, knock.<em>

"Penny!"

Slowly Penny rose from the couch with a sigh of tired annoyance and glared at the door. She had barely been home from The Cheesecake Factory for five minutes, still dressed in her uniform, and aching feet propped on the edge of her coffee table. Or, rather, they had been until _him_.

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Penny!"

Already at the door she waited, a hand on one hip and a slow breath drawn in. It had been one of those days where all she wanted was a bottle of wine and the last sleeve of saltine crackers. Maybe the packet of Ramen noodles. Was there a bottle of wine left? God, she hoped so.

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Penny!"

Her soft mouth pulled into a tight smile as she swung open the door. After trying dozens of times before, she didn't bother mentioning he didn't need to knock three times. Not only would he not listen, but Penny had realized she was wrong. He _did_ need to. It didn't matter right then, of course – Sheldon Cooper wasn't going to make this evening any better.

"What, Sheldon?"

Bright blue eyes quickly scanned her features. It was so subtle at times, like now, but over the years she had noticed and begun to watch. With Sheldon felt at times as she was nothing more than a specimen.

"I see you have experienced a, what you say, 'grueling day,'" he began, long, elegant fingers raising in air quotes, "at your place of work, if one can call it that –"

Penney's eyes narrowed; Sheldon rushed on before her lips could finish parting.

"It's Wednesday, and therefore Halo night. Howard, I have been told, is enduring some pre-wedding custom that is both frivolous and time wasting."

"Unlike Halo night?" she drawled dryly, leaning against the open door.

Sheldon continued as if he hadn't heard her. "As Leonard, Howard, and I will need a fourth, I have come to issue you an invitation to Halo night. And, because of what happened last time, I will pay for your portion of the pizza."

Somehow she suspected Leonard had something to do with the bribe, especially when Sheldon continued with:

"And a pair of shoes."

Despite that she sighed and didn't immediately answer him, she knew what she was going to say: yes. Once she thought she had the ability to say no to him – no, no, she did! There had been numerous times when saying no to Sheldon Cooper – Ph.D – had been easily done, the words slipping from her without a second thought. Once upon a time ago she could even slam the door in his face and walk away. Now she was caught by those blue eyes that were shimmering in a way she liked to imagine was a look unique to her. (Were his lips relaxed into the promise of a smile?) Except, just as that thought came so did the flare of confidence in his eyes; he knew she wasn't going to say no. She was going to stand there staring up at him, eventually sigh, and then agree. How could she really deny him?

Besides, he was offering a pair of shoes. Inwardly she sighed.

"Penny, are you now finished with your internal monologue?"

Brows began to lift until she realized the sigh hadn't been internal and the tightness in her shoulders loosened as she released the door. The man really did see too much and yet not nearly enough sometimes.

"Yeah, I'm finished. I'll be over at eight."

"Excellent! I shall you see then."

Penny's fair head merely shook as she shut the door, leaned against it a moment later. Pizza and Halo with her boys. On the surface it seemed so simple, something two weeks ago she wouldn't have thought twice about. Two weeks ago there hadn't been that awkward conversation in her kitchen, one that replayed again and again in her head. Two weeks ago she hadn't lied to him.

"_I came to ask if you would like to go on a date with me."_

"_I'm sorry – what?" Had he just said what she thinks he did? Somehow Penny didn't let go of the wooden spoon she was using to stir dinner with and was relived when her voice didn't squeak with surprise. There couldn't be anyway of knowing what she had been stewing over, trying to figure out how Amy could consider giving up on him for someone like Stuart. _

"_A date! You and me. Dining, dancing. Perhaps you'd like to take in a prize fight."_

"_Oh God. Are you trying to make Amy jealous?"_

… "_Why is everyone so obsessed with Amy and Stuart?"_

… "_I am not trying to get her back."_

"_All right, honey, let me tell you a story..."_

"_I'm the guy."_

"_You're not the guy."_

Damnit. He was the guy.

Just as Penny started to push away from the door the sound of footsteps caught her attention and she paused. What else did Sheldon want? She froze as her hand went for the doorknob and she realized the footsteps weren't coming closer but were... retreating.

* * *

><p>Closing the door of apartment 4A, Sheldon was relieved to note the absence of his roommate, colleague, and friend, Dr. Leonard Hofstadter. After his last encounter with Penny he needed a few minutes to himself and he quickly found himself seated at his laptop, the silence of the apartment only marshaling his thoughts into further focus. It wasn't that the encounter had been particularly revealing or important, except for those last moments. Did she even realize how her eyes softened whenever she looked at him? It didn't even matter if her tone was sharp or biting, the moment she looked to him those beautiful green eyes softened just enough for him to notice.<p>

A few clicks of his touch pad had him into a password protected folder simply named _Penny._ Inside the folder were organized sub folders; he passed over the ones filled with photos, experiment data results, previous years of journal entry, and selected the one labeled for this year. He had no fears about the folder and its contents ever being discovered; Penny's folder was buried into his personal files and he was sure that not even Howard Wolowitz would be able to get into. (As inferior as the engineer was, Sheldon did quietly acknowledge the man's skills – non-romantic – with a machine.) There had been a few times in the past when Leonard (and once, to his dismay, Penny) had almost seen him inside the folder, but now he took far more precautions.

The folder started the day he met her. Leonard had merely assumed he was heavily concentrating on his latest research, but he'd really been noting down every detail of his first encounter with Penny. It hadn't mattered that he had seen plenty of aesthetically pleasing women in his life time – his twin was a prime example of one – but nothing had prepared him for that burst of sunshine. Worse, he had been entirely unguarded for the way she made him want to beam, a feeling that escaped the moment she'd recognized him for what he truly was.

"_So, you're, like, one of those beautiful mind, genius guys?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_This is really impressive."_

"_I have a board, if you like boards. This is my board."_

In five minutes he'd known she was the one. Her smile made such a strange tingling sensation start in his toes; she had a sweet, light voice that he knew he could listen to for hours, even if the subject matter was beneath his intelligence or notice; her scent of woman and vanilla rivaled that of a new comic book, and she'd seen him for what he was in an instant. Of course, Leonard, in his attention seeking ways, had ruined a perfect moment, and he, in turn, realized he neither knew precisely how to react to Penny, how to manage to strange feelings she stirred, or how to make her realize he was going to be the best thing that ever happened to her. There was so much planning and research that had to be done first, though.

Five years later he was ready for his ultimate quest: the capture of Penny.


	2. Chapter Two

_The Quest for Penny._

_A "The Big Bang Theory" FanFic by Mme Moirae. _

_I own nothing._

_Gentle Readers,_

_Welcome to Chapter Two! _

_A huge thank you to those who have been reading and reviewing this fanfic already! I hope this chapter and all those to follow are well enjoyed. There are quite a few twists and turns I have planned in the future chapters, but I do caution that they may not be explained as you find them. Which really just means you'll have to keep coming back to learn the why's, how's, and have the huh's explained. (Aren't I sneaky?) Mostly I point this out because I will not reveal plot secrets in PMs or if asked in general, though I'll probably give a hint if you ask sweetly enough. _

_If you'd be interested in pre-reading submissions for me, please drop me a PM! It is very important that you have a quick turn around rate (within 12-24 hours), label yourself a TBBT addict, and, most importantly, aren't bothered by a writer's ramblings. (I see that there are Beta Testers, but frankly I'm not sure how to go about using them and I'd rather have volunteers for this particular work than potentially bug people to read.)_

_Now, for this chapter we have a glimpse into Halo night, but most importantly, Sheldon's plan has hit its first bump... or so he thinks. _

_I hope you enjoy! _

_(Reviews are like chocolates. Please feed, I'm very okay being conditioned to write more.)  
><em>

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><p>"Since when does Penny have <em>a<em> spot? And why can't she be on _my_ team? She was on your team last time!"

"Oh, Leonard..." Sheldon began with a sigh and straightened his posture.

The tone in Sheldon's voice was one she'd heard before, that air of exasperated superiority as if he were about to explain the origins of the alphabet. Frankly it was nice not to have it directed at her for a change, even if it didn't really bother her. Over the past year it hadn't been directed at her as often, much to her surprise and delight.

Penny's lips pursed as she tried to bite back a smile and settled into "her spot," barely having arrived a few minutes ago for the routine Halo night. Almost immediately Sheldon had shooed Raj out of "her spot" and then informed them of the teams. In those few minutes alone she felt reaffirmed in the decision to be their fourth; during the quick shower she'd taken after Sheldon's departure Penny had kept flip flopping on whether to keep to the agreement to play (and the promise of shoes) or find some excuse to make. It was becoming more and more difficult being around Sheldon and keeping her reactions to herself; she was pretty damn sure that he was going to notice something was off, demand an explanation, and then banish her for having any carnal thoughts about him, as if she had the nerve to think about him in some way other than as a genius. Yet, he'd smiled at her when she'd walked in, one of those real, genuine smiles, and the though the smile vanished as fast it'd come, it'd started the night off on a better than expected note.

And now he was, once again, putting Leonard in his place, so to speak.

"As apparently part of your brain has been absent for the past five years – likely due to too much focus on the often failed pursuit of intercourse – allow me to catch you up, as you say."

Leonard's eyes swept heavenward and his jaw clenched a little.

"Penny sits here in the middle or on the chair to my right. I suspect it started as her trying to worm her way into my spot and now, as success has proven futile, it is habit, and therefore her spot. It's simply part of the natural order, Leonard. I don't know why you're making such a fuss."

"You suspect?"

"Yes. Suspect. Guess. Conjecture. To have some hint or knowledge. Come now, Leonard, do I need to explain everything for you?"

The words were said so calmly, yet three pairs of eyes were staring at him; two looked at him as if he had fallen from the sky and the third … held a touch of wistfulness in them. Slowly Penny drew herself away from the memory that flashed through and her grin finally escaped as she tilted her head at him.

"Sheldon, I thought as a brilliant scientist you didn't guess because you reached conclusions based on observation and experimentation."

Penny's smile widened when she saw the way his eyes brightened, long fingers squeezing a little into his knees where they'd been settled as if he were trying not to, well, beam. Caught up in the pleased expression in his features she entirely missed the look Leonard and Raj exchanged or how Raj mouthed his bewilderment to Leonard.

"Very good, Penny!"

It was her turn to beam, doing so as she looked back to the flat screen television and leaned forward for her controller. Almost instinctively she was looking for the little box of chocolates Sheldon kept nearby and wasn't disappointed when a moment later he held one up for her. The word didn't even have to be asked before her lips were parting. She could have sworn she felt just a brush of his finger on her lips when he fed her the small ball of chocolate.

"Strange," muttered Leonard under his breath, too softly for Penny or Sheldon to pick up. Raj's dark head nodded in agreement as he quietly grabbed his controller.

For a moment Penny wondered if either of them realized Sheldon hadn't explained why she had to be on his team and just as quickly decided it either didn't matter or was for the best. She certainly wasn't about to complain! On the nights like this she came up for dibs, there was usually some bickering between the guys who she teamed with; out of all of them, she preferred playing with Sheldon, just as much as she enjoyed beating him, of course. With how limited their opportunities – okay, _her_ opportunities – were to be a team or classified as a pair in some way with him, how could she argue over tonight's decree? Or, well, the last time she had played Halo and been claimed by Sheldon?

Dark lashes fluttered as her mind paused and fingers froze around the controller. Claimed by Sheldon? Was she really getting that desperate to have him notice her in a non-platonic way that she was romanticizing Halo pairings? Inwardly she sighed, felt her slender shoulders slump just a little. Yes, she was being claimed by Sheldon but only in the sense that he wanted her "expert" Halo skills. He wasn't tossing her over his shoulder and stalking off with her like some wild alpha mate. (A big ol' five she might be, but nothing drove her wilder than a man being able to take control.) Mentally shaking herself, Penny leaned back on the couch and crossed her legs, flower print shorts straining against her thighs.

Beside her Sheldon shifted, controller in hand, and she involuntarily shivered when his hand all too briefly brushed at her bare leg. It had have to been an accident as he moved since he didn't look at her nor did he even recoil. He probably didn't notice, she thought, fighting back a frown. Just like everything else he didn't notice.

With a little grumbling, Leonard sat on her other side and Penny instinctively shifted a little until she found her knee resting against Sheldon's. She waited for him to pull away, to tell her to move back, or even glare at her. Instead she heard:

"It is now 8:02. We are two minutes behind thanks to your nonsense, Leonard, and that will be coming out of the bathroom break – specifically yours."

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><p>"Med pack! Sheldon!"<p>

"There! Get him! Get him!"

"Raj! Behind you!"

"To the left! Your other left!"

"Eat death!"

"Now!"

Raj squeaked!

"Penny! Penny! Penny!"

Penny shrieked as a grenade bomb exploded on the screen and she lurched forward on the couch, perched on the very edge. "Damnit! He's on my ass!"

Raj snickered as another bomb went off.

The insults and smack talk continued to fly, the heated game progressing. Remnants of pizza sat in the middle of the coffee table with bottles of water and two cans of Mountain Dew scattered around them. Sheldon was no longer sitting next to her, instead standing beside her as if he was trying to tower and protect her from Raj and Leonard to his left. Of course, she could have been projecting as Sheldon had been a touch more protective in the game than usual. While he was never one to leave a teammate behind or allow defeat if he could stop it, he'd died once when trying to save her. And then a second time.

The second time she blamed him for, though, as she had been too distracted to save herself. Sheldon had picked the worst time to whisper to her, a sneak attack plan, and the following few minutes all Penny had been able to think about was that (a) his lips had ever so lightly brushed her ear, (b) his breath was far too warm and did all sorts of tingling things to her skin, and (c) how her stomach had knotted at the whispered tone. It was not the first time he had ever whispered to her, but Penny was damn sure his lips had never touched her ear before. Not that she gave it any further thought after that, her life restored and she back into the game before her mind could wander further.

An hour later the game came to a close – Penny and Sheldon victorious.

"Ah! Another satisfying win. Penny, you played remarkably well tonight. I believe that qualifies for two pairs of shoes."

Oh, damnit. She couldn't help herself from sweetly smiling, the smallest hint of a blush dotting her cheeks and her eyes demurely turning down for a moment. It was the same reaction she had whenever he openly complimented her without also managing to unintentionally insult her.

Leonard's brows drew together and he shook his head. "Okay. I'm going to take Raj home before this gets any weirder. Sheldon's being nice, Penny has a spot and two new pairs of shoes..." He paused as Raj leaned over, whispered quickly into his ear. "Peep toe? What is a peep toe and why do I even care?"

A soft laugh bubbled up from Penny before she pressed her lips together, sank back into the couch. "Yes, Raj, I like peep toes, too."

Her deduction was rewarded with a smile from the astrophysicist, one that grew as she smiled back to him. In the morning she would send him a text and see if he wanted to come shoe shopping with her on Dr. Whack-a-doodle's dime. While the man really needed to lay off the sweater vests – there wasn't a decent one he owned – he had an uncanny affinity for women's clothing and style. And chick flicks. While Penny would never admit it, there were times she preferred Raj's company for movies and quasi girl talk over Bernadette and Amy. (Especially Amy. There was only so much talk about penis envy she could handle, even if her ego always did a significant boost every time they saw each other!)

"Oh, whatever. They're just shoes. Come on, Raj."

As he spoke Leonard was already moving to the door, his keys grabbed from the bowl, his brows still knitted; it was his typical "there's something weird going on that I don't know about" expression and it had Penny grinning as she waved good night to Raj. Looking over at Sheldon, seated once more beside her, the smile slipped... and then warmed.

"I should probably get going, too. Thanks for the pizza and future shoes."

She nearly lost her breath the way he looked at her right then. It was a look she hadn't seen before; his eyes were brightened and yet warm at the same time, like he was looking at her fondly. Very fondly. A shiver went down her spine and she forced herself to stand and to ignore it. Yeah, she definitely needed to take a small break from the guys or the next thing she knew she was going to be –

"Penny, are you free tomorrow night?"

Penny's hand froze on the door knob as she half turned, glanced back at him over her shoulder. He was rising up from the couch and her chin had to tilt a little just so that their eyes didn't lose connection. Tomorrow was the third Thursday of the month or otherwise known as, "Anything Can Happen Thursday." For Sheldon, if alone, that meant an extra night at the comic store and pizza, but this was probably him asking for a ride somewhere. For her... she knew she had nothing planned and it was right there on the tip of her tongue to say so. Her lips even parted with the words, yet she found them stuck, hindered by her own thoughts. Hadn't she just told herself she needed some time and space? For very good reasons.

"Actually I have a, um, date." Briefly her eyes turned away as she mentally slapped herself. Not only had she just lied to him, but made up a date? Now she was going to have to figure out something to do tomorrow to get her out of the apartment for a few hours. She looked back just as Sheldon released an unsteady breath. Her lips quirked, but she said nothing. He was going to have to find someone else to drive him around, as appealing as the extra time with him really, really, really was.

She sighed at the three reallys in her mind.

"Oh, I see," he murmured, hands clasping in front of him. "Very well then. I shall bid you good night."

"Night, Sheldon."

Penny didn't let herself hesitate another moment – she wouldn't be able to – before slipping out of the apartment. She nearly ran the short way to her own and didn't let out a breath of relief until she was safely back inside, the door locked. She was going to have to find a way to get her control back around him. Sheldon – and the boys – were an important part of her life. Once she had already faced the possible reality of not having him – them, her mind stressed – in her life, when her and Raj's night of "nothing happened" threatened to destroy the group. That possible reality had been far more difficult to deal with than she'd let on, and now... now she couldn't even consider the thought.

Her unaccepted feelings (she could hear Sheldon in her head saying just that phrase) for him were hers to deal with and they weren't going to ruin things, not if she could help it.

* * *

><p>Ten seconds after the apartment door closed behind her Sheldon tore his eyes away and flew over to his desk, the laptop stirred to life. A few moments later the Skype ring played and his screen became filled with the familiar image of a young woman with long brown hair left loose and straight, glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. Behind her came a puff of cigarette smoke that had a brief quizzical expression on Sheldon's face before it was gone and he was focused on the matter at hand, features calm despite the quickened state of his heart. A date? Why was this the first he'd heard of such?<p>

"Amy. There's a problem."


	3. Chapter Three

_The Quest for Penny._

_A "The Big Bang Theory" FanFic by Mme Moirae. _

_I own nothing._

_(Reviews are like chocolates. Please feed, I'm very okay being conditioned to write more.)_

* * *

><p>"Amy. There's a problem."<p>

Thick eyebrows rose a little as Amy adjusted the rim of her glasses. "Problem? Last we spoke, Sheldon, you were preparing for Halo night with Penny, Leonard, and Raj. Was the beautiful goddess not well bribed by the offer of shoes? I was sure that would work."

"No, no, she was. That went fine." He paused, felt the nervous tic in his cheek twitch. "Explain to me why she has a date tomorrow and I am only finding out now."

"A date?" Amy's eyes widened and her lips parted in a slow "O" of surprise. "There was no date mentioned this morning when she and I spoke. I suppose an invitation could have occurred at her place of her work, but from what you mentioned her day had not gone well at all. That and she has mentioned a strict avoidance of accepting date invitations from strange customers."

This had Sheldon pausing again, soft lips lightly pressing together. Was it possible Penelope had lied to him? He wanted to automatically reject the possibility since then he would have to consider the reason why she lied to him, and the first assumption that came wasn't one he liked.

"I could find out tomorrow," Amy continued. "Penny's asked for my help in a matter."

Sheldon's curiosity perked. "Would you care to elaborate on that matter?"

Amy hesitated, eyes flickering to where the smoking monkey lurked off screen before returning to him. "I could, yes, but that would be breaking the promise of secrecy."

"As opposed to being a spy for the past year and a half?"

Slowly Amy's lips thinned and her eyes narrowed a little at him. "There are trademarks of difference between the two."

"I hardly think so," he scoffed, mostly because he wasn't automatically getting his way. "Espionage is a skill dependent on the art of deceit, knowing when to keep it or break it. You could say you have been lying to Penny this whole time and owe her no privacy when discussing matters with your supervisor."

Briefly her eyes swept up and she exhaled. "Sheldon, it is not my place to discuss Penny's matter with you, but I assure you it does not interfere with your quest."

He could feel the tic again. Still not getting his way. "We do not know that for sure. Really, only I would be able to determine if the information was harmful to my plans."

"Sheldon... If there is nothing else I am logging off now. I will speak with you tomorrow."

Curses! His face scrunched for a moment; his mousy haired spook wasn't going to cooperate tonight. "Wait. What time are you and Penny meeting tomorrow?"

"At noon. Would you like me to inform you of the necessary details afterward?"

Reigning in his patience, Sheldon offered a stiff nod and quickly disconnected the video chat once saying good night. A possible date and now a secret matter. He had not been imagining Penny's reactions to him tonight – at least, he hoped he hadn't been. Looking down at his hand, he could imagine ever so slightly touching her lower lip again, how silky smooth her leg felt. He adored the way her eyes lit up, sent sparks of gold through the green hues and knew, despite the presence of Leonard and Raj, he'd purposely sought out to see that expression tonight. How could he resist? While the years had brought the ebb of change with them, the way Penny's smiles made him feel hadn't.

His lanky form rose from the desk just as Leonard walked back in looking far less perturbed than he had before. They spoke for a few minutes – thankfully there came no questions about Penny or Halo – before Sheldon adjourned once confirming they were picking up Raj in the morning while his car remained in the shop for repair. There was little desire or need for his night to continue.

* * *

><p>A year and a half ago Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler's life changed forever.<p>

In accordance with the agreement she had with her mother, she arrived at a coffee shop to meet Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper on a date. Based on the few emails exchanged prior to meeting, he seemed compatible enough for a single date, though she had neither anticipated or foreseen anything more happening. Relationships weren't something Amy had an interest in, not when the field of biology had her lost in its alluring presence. What she had not expected was the sudden click she'd felt with Dr. Cooper, but it wasn't a sensation she would have labeled as chemistry between them – they were a meeting of brilliant minds.

What she also hadn't expected was the proposal laid out during the first summer of their acquaintance. The theoretical physicist was infatuated with a girl – weren't they all? – and he wanted her assistance in his grand plan of winning her. To herself she could admit a fondness for social sciences, one Sheldon picked up on all too easily and used as he described his idea and plan. As someone who never had many friends – none, really – the thought of being in a secret mission was one that appealed to her. Her only concern had been the subject of his quest: Penelope, aka, Penny.

Penny was everything Amy had ever wanted to be in high school (and college): pretty, well liked, sunny, social, and, well, she outright radiated! Every flaw was outshone by the inner sparkle that made an entire room light up, the way one smile from her could change a whole day, or just a whiff of the vanilla bath soap she used – the same Amy _might_ have bought the exact same of just so she could sniff it from time to time. She had the body of a western goddess, one Amy had seen almost nude – she was so close! – and thought about probably too often.

She wanted to hate her. Even dislike her. At the beginning when contemplating Sheldon's offer she'd tried doing just that. Valiantly Amy had told herself that the blond's smile was too bright or friendly; that the use of "Shamy" was juvenile and annoying (and it was, really, except when Penny said it); that she simply wasn't educated enough for a man like Dr. Sheldon Cooper, or that her perkiness couldn't at all trump the lack of order in her living space. While she had determinedly stuck to Dr. Cooper's plans and played her role well, she couldn't deny some feelings toward him had popped up over the summer and it just didn't seem fair that some (likely) blond bimbo was going to ruin his genius.

Amy had tried to hate her... and failed.

There was no denying the flare of happiness that went through the neurobiologist's eyes as the door to apartment 4B swung open to reveal her golden haired bestie. There was no hate, not an ounce of dislike – there was nothing but love. That was the emotion Amy identified her feelings toward Penny as. While she had yet to determine whether it was a romantic love or one more pure born out of friendship, Amy felt it surge inside of her and carry her forward, arms outstretched for a tight hug.

"You're dating again! I'm so happy! Tell me everything."

* * *

><p>Of course Sheldon had told Amy. Penny inwardly groaned as she returned the tight hug, knowing the gesture would last a few more seconds than necessary. Amy loved affection! The poor woman was so starved for it at times that it broke Penny's heart, and while sometimes Amy's compliments were way over the top, how could Penny deny giving a simple pleasure like a hug? Even a really long hug.<p>

"Oh, well, no," she managed, wincing as she drew back, closed the door behind her best friend.

It still stunned her from time to time that the woman next to her was her best friend – stunned and humbled her. At first glance Amy was nothing like the type of person Penny would have clung to for support and friendship; Amy's apparel crossed between a grandmother and a confused housewife, such as now with the black corduroy skirt (that actually looked nice) paired with layers of polyester and cotton. (They were going to have to do some more make up learning sessions as the female doctor's purple eyeshadow was way too dark and heavily applied and Penny needed to figure out a way to gently tell her that blush simply didn't work with her skin tone.) Amy was generally clueless about social interactions, especially between girls, and she tended to talk way too much about women naked together and penis envy. But when you looked beneath the surface – something her friendship with the boys had _really_ taught her – Amy Farrah Fowler was an amazing, generous, intelligent, and kind human being, and a one of a kind best friend.

Her best friend. Who was currently looking at her as if she'd blurted out some complicated formula that left Amy truly stumped.

"No? What do you mean no? In mine and Sheldon's evening talk he mentioned you were going on a date tonight. Was he misinformed?"

"Yes, sorta. I kind of lied to him. Okay, not kind of. I did lie to him." _Again. _Penny winced as she lead the short way into the kitchen area and took out a bottle of white wine and two glasses. It was a little after noon, which meant somewhere in the world it was cocktail hour. She was just about to pop the cork when it hit her. Did she really want to be drinking when having this conversation? She couldn't exactly be trusted to censor herself.

"Why would you lie to him about that?" At complete ease Amy slid onto one of the stools, her brown messenger bag set to the side. "It seems to me it would be more appropriate to lie to Leonard about that." Her eyes flickered when Penny put the wine back away and instead took out two bottles of water from her fridge.

"I... I don't know," Penny began, shrugging a little and inwardly grasping at straws. She hadn't expected to start answering these questions already! "I see him Tuesday at work, sometimes afterward, and then last night I filled in for Howard, and you know how Sheldon can be." Amy only gave the smallest of nods. "Besides, I was thinking that tonight you, Bernadette, and I could do a girls' night tonight."

"But what about your date?"

Penny paused, frowned a little. "There isn't a date, remember. I lied to him."

"Yes," Amy began, shifting a little on the stool. "But Sheldon will remain under the assumption that you do indeed have a date. If your date is suddenly canceled you're back at the beginning with the attempt to elude Sheldon for the evening and he will assuredly know you're home."

"Crap. You're right." Penny's frown deepened as she leaned against the kitchen island. "Well, can't we just do girls' night at your place?"

The moment she said those words Penny knew the idea had been a good one – maybe too good. Amy's eyes widened with pure delight, nearly as much as the smile that captured her features. "A girls' night at my abode? Oh, how dreamy!" Quickly she was leaping off the stool and grabbing her bag. "I'll need to make sure everything is perfect! We're going to need popcorn, chocolate, chick flicks, make up, and, oooh! Frilly nightgowns." The last words were nearly cooed and Penny just managed to hold back a laugh.

"Amy, wait! Where are you going? I thought we were having lunch."

"Oh, bestie, as much as I would love to see you nibble your way through a meal and use those pouty lips of yours, I want tonight to be perfect. I have shopping to do. Ooh! Goody bags!" she squealed, dancing a little as she spun for the door. "Don't worry. I will take care of everything! You just confirm with Strawberries and come by my place at seven."

The laugh released as Penny shook her head and she grinned, walking to the door behind Amy's twirling form. Well, at least there was now a real solution for why she wasn't going to be home.

"Okay, but don't tell Sheldon I lied to him. Please?"

Turned away from her, Penny didn't see the dismay and conflict that fluttered across Amy's features; her best friend was smiling when she turned back around and they hugged again – another longer than necessary hug.

"I shall endeavor not to do so."


	4. Chapter Four

_The Quest for Penny._

_A "The Big Bang Theory" FanFic by Mme Moirae. _

_I own nothing._

_Gentle Readers,_

_We pick up with the girls' night with Penny, Amy, Bernadette, and secrets are revealed! Also, Penny gets someone (or maybe more than one) in her corner!_

_I hope you enjoy._

_(Reviews are like chocolates. Please feed, I'm very okay being conditioned to write more.)_

* * *

><p>"I still don't understand why you lied to Sheldon about having a date."<p>

Oh, Penny had been hoping – no, praying – that this wouldn't come up again. For about two hours since arriving at Amy's she had gotten just that. The three of them – Penny, Amy, and Bernadette (AKA: Strawberries) had given each other manis and pedis, eaten s'mores, and happily talked about wedding details. Amy was still trying to get Bernadette to agree to a native approach for a bachelorette's party, though (thankfully) hadn't had any luck yet. Now, however, Amy's question steered them into the _wrong_ direction.

"You lied to Sheldon about a date?" Bernadette's blond head tilted to the side, though her eyes didn't rise from her toenails being carefully painted.

Penny sighed, leaned back against the couch. "Yes, I lied to Sheldon! And, as I explained earlier, I just needed a break from him. A date was the first thing that came to mind."

Now Bernadette glanced up. "I tell Howie I'm going to scrapbook with my mother. No questions and he has _never_ asked to come with."

"But why?" Amy persisted, glanced down at the pale pink nail polish drying on her fingers and toes. Since it wasn't the weekend all the paint would be off by morning, but for now it looked nice – almost as pretty as Penny first thing in the morning.

"Because I don't want to hurt his feelings. I love Howard and want to spend the rest of my life with him, but once in a while I need my own alone time and space and he might not understand so well. He's a lot more easily bruised than he thinks."

"See," Penny jumped in. "Bernadette gets it! Just how I feel."

"That would also imply you love Sheldon and want to spend the rest of your life with him."

Amy was being her usual persistence self in wanting an explanation, but it had Penny going on the defensive – perhaps a little too quickly considering the way Amy and Bernadette exchanged glances.

"That's not what I meant! The part I relate to is not wanting to hurt Sheldon's feelings. Even you've described him as a toddler and as much as he may not want to admit it, he does have feelings and they can be hurt. And, as he probably needed a ride somewhere, it would have meant all of those Sheldon-y complications. You know how he can be. Besides, why didn't he ask you, Amy? You two are … well."

Truth was she didn't know where Amy and Sheldon stood since Amy's date with Stuart and the start of this whole lying mess.

"We're not boyfriend and girlfriend." Amy sighed, handed Penny the bottle of nail polish remover and bag of cotton balls.

"Yeah, but," Bernadette began with a coy smile and wink, gearing up for what should have been a gentle teasing at their favorite couple who wasn't a couple.

"No! No buts!"

Stunned, Bernadette and Penny watched as Amy leapt to her feet in a surge of defiance and in a louder and firmer voice than either had heard before. (The long sleeved frilly nightgown she wore only looked a little ridiculous.)

"Sheldon and I have a relationship that is purely platonic. There are no romantic feelings on either side despite what may be perceived by the amount of time we sometimes spent together and how involved our discussions can be. I also realize society cannot help _but_ pair people off and our friendship becomes misconstrued, but he and I will never be anything more than two beings passing each other with a friendly wave and salutations. Frankly, he's not even the first person I'd rescue if the world dissolved into chaos and it was every man and woman for themselves or in the case of a natural disaster."

That Amy's eyes focused on Penny saved the question of who Amy would save from coming. Penny didn't notice, too distracted by Amy's persistence. Sure, Sheldon had said over and over that Amy was a girl who was his friend wasn't his "girlfriend," but he was Sheldon Cooper! The man couldn't be trusted to define personal relationships. Had Amy defended their platonic state in the past? Penny couldn't recall.

"Now, I am going to microwave popcorn, item nine on our list, and then we pick a game from the golden bra!" Amy announced with a smile, held up the 52DD extra support golden lace bra. The cups were filled with folded pieces of paper for games and activities; a twin bra, though black, sat on the coffee table with its cups filled with chocolate kisses and gummy bears. While at first the bras seemed a little strange, now Penny viewed them as eccentric decorating.

Once Amy was out of ear shot, Bernadette glanced over and whispered, "Not to be a nosy hen, but you've been lying a lot lately."

Guilt had Penny visibly wincing. "I know, I know…"

"What's going on, Pen? You've only been lying to Sheldon or where it concerns him."

It was so hard to resist the warm, concerned look in Bernadette's eyes, only magnified by the cute glasses she wore. However, they were also smart eyes and were seeing far, far too much.

"I understand about the college thing, but – "

"College thing?"

Penny nearly jumped off the sofa! When had Amy snuck back? The microwave was still going. One glance at Bernadette told her to give this secret up, and with a sigh, Penny looked up at her bestie.

"I'm thinking of going back to college…"

"Oh! That's wonderful!" The excitement in Amy's eyes was short lived and spiked Penny's guilt, especially when she continued with, "But why didn't you tell me? I thought we were besties." AKA: How come Bernadette knew and she didn't?

Because of Sheldon. Penny was petrified of the boys finding out she was considering college; she hadn't intended on telling them until she was actually enrolled and had made it past the first semester. They had no idea how intimidating it could be at times being surrounded by Doctors and an engineer with a Masters' degree – especially Sheldon who had two Doctorates! School had come so easily to her group of friends and here she was a community college drop out. If she failed again, they wouldn't have had to know she'd tried at all.

And Sheldon… Sheldon's approval about this meant more than she wanted to admit. As much as she would be doing college for herself, she wanted him to be proud of her, but how could she explain that to Amy? Even if they weren't girlfriend and boyfriend her feelings toward Sheldon had the potential to open a huge can of worms.

Exhaling slowly, Penny looked away from Bernadette and up to Amy. She couldn't keep lying to her, though. Maybe if she went with not quite the full truth? "Because I'm not sure yet. I'm scared, nervous, and until I really decided, I didn't want anyone else to know."

"I only found out because I happened to see a college brochure," Bernadette put in and avoided Penny's look.

"Oh." Amy slowly sank down onto the edge of the couch and fought back a frown. It was a few moments before the look of dismay and disappointment faded into the excitement that'd been there before.

"I'm sorry," Penny murmured and leaned over, laid a hand on Amy's arm. "Amy…"

"No, it's okay!" So brightly Amy smiled to her, though didn't let Penny pull her hand away yet. "I think I understand. Please let me help, though?"

"And me! I think it's great you're going back to college," Bernadette beamed over.

"It's not definite! I'm still deciding -"

"Oh, psh! Penny, the Cheesecake Factory is no place for your eternal beauty to remain. Underneath that head of shiny, luxurious, golden hair is a brain waiting for you to fill it with knowledge! Just think of what wonderful and exciting things you'll be capable of with a degree." For Amy the matter was decided: her best friend was going to college and she wouldn't have to stay a waitress the rest of her life. More importantly, Dr. Sheldon Cooper wouldn't be infatuated with a waitress, and, let's face it, Penny didn't always have the right attitude for the service industry.

Laughing softly, much more at ease now, Penny leaned back and a little into Amy. All three were ignoring the smell of burnt popcorn in the kitchen. "I still have an acting career to consider."

It was a last ditch effort, she knew, especially when Amy's brown eyes narrowed a little on her. "Bestie, while I have not had the utmost pleasure of knowing you since you made your pilgrimage to California, I can honestly say you haven't been happy in your acting pursuit."

That, however, had Penny's eyes widening a little and she straightened. "Hey! That's not true. I just haven't had much luck."

"You weren't exactly glowing during the hemorrhoid commercial filming, and if I recall correctly, bemoaned greatly over the three AM wake up call, and how you felt disconnected from everyone else."

"Acting has been my dream since I came here. I can't just give it up." That was true, wasn't it? Maybe she hadn't been going to any auditions since the commercial, but that didn't mean she'd given up, did it? She still wanted to be a famous actress; she wanted to be someone special and important. Didn't she?

Across from them Bernadette quietly said, "Dreams can change, Penny. Maybe it's time you found a new dream."

* * *

><p>It was a few hours later that Bernadette and Penny settled in for bed, Penny on the couch and Bernadette taking the blow up mattress. Neither had agreed to Amy's suggestion that they could all – or one of them, Penny – share her bed. In the dark, Penny glanced down to Bernadette's form and shifted a little on the couch when she heard the microbiologist whisper.<p>

"Pen?"

"Yeah?"

The mattress squeaked a little as Bernadette shifted to look up at her friend. "It's not healthy to keep feelings pent up inside for too long."

Penny frowned a little, turned her eyes to stare up at the ceiling. Somehow even in the dark it felt like Bernadette was seeing too much. "Um. What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on," she quietly scoffed and then was scooting until she was off the mattress and kneeling beside the couch. Both girls quickly glanced at the archway separating bedroom and bath from the rest of the apartment; no sign of Amy suddenly popping up again.

Bernadette continued in a soft whisper, "If you really didn't want to take Sheldon anywhere you could have just said that to him."

"Oh God, this again?" Penny groaned quite sincerely.

"Amy and the others might be blind, but I'm not."

_That_ had Penny sitting straight up and looking down at Bernadette, her heart pounding hard and quick against her chest. "W-what do you mean? Of course you're not blind," she said, the latter a little dumbly.

Sliding onto the couch as Penny drew her legs up, Bernadette's eyes narrowed a little at her friend. "Penny, who is the last person you went to for anything?"

The response came too quick for her to stop: "Sheldon. But, it was a computer problem and Leonard wasn't around."

"And before that?"

"Sheldon, but again, Leonard wasn't available." Or had he been? Frankly, she didn't remember. Bernadette seemed to, though, and merely lifted her brows.

"All right. How about the cow eyes you make at him?"

"What?" At the sudden squeak in her voice, both glanced at the doorway again and waited to make sure no footsteps came before Penny continued in a softly hissed tone. "I do not make cow eyes at Sheldon!"

"You look at him in a way I never saw you look at Leonard," Bernadette insisted and latched on now. "Penny, I see the way you act around him. You take in information from him unlike with Leonard and you smile and are happy much more around him than anyone else. Your face lights up whenever he comes into the room. Whenever you have a bad day, you always tell me you're going to see Sheldon. You haven't mentioned Leonard in that equation in months."

"Okay, okay." Now Penny's heart was going wild. If Bernadette had seen signs, had anyone else? There was still a defense in here. This secret could still be hers and only hers. "He's practically my best friend. Why wouldn't I walk over to see him on a bad day?"

"Why not call me or Amy? You know Amy would come over in a heartbeat to soothe you."

She was right. Penny's lips pressed together as she tugged a hand through her hair. This wasn't suppose to be happening! "Bernadette…"

"It's okay," she whispered. "I don't think anyone else has noticed and I won't say anything, not even to Howard. Though, Howie seems to think Sheldon has it bad for you."

"What?"

The second time Penny's squeak came so did movement from the bedroom. In a few seconds the light flared on in the living room and Amy's form appeared in the archway, concern etched into her features; the concern was replaced with curiosity when she saw the two on the couch.

"Is everything all right? I thought I heard something. Is something wrong with the air mattress?"

"No, no, the mattress is fine." Smoothly Bernadette slid back down onto the floor and over to the mattress.

"There was a spider," Penny hastily said and then glanced down at the blanket as if checking to make sure no more creepy crawlies remained. Amy merely gave a nod and then returned to her room, the light shut off.

It was a few minutes before Penny heard Bernadette whisper, "And I agree with Howard. I think he does, too."

Moistening her lips, Penny forced herself to stare up at the ceiling. Surely Bernadette couldn't be right! And Howard… Well, he saw sexual innuendo in _everything_. "I think you're nuts," she managed shakily.

"That's what I told Howard. Then he pointed out that you are Sheldon's exception to everything." There was a small pause before, "I think you two are good for each other. Really good, Pen."

Penny had no response, her mind whirling. It didn't take long for Penny to hear the signs of Bernadette fast asleep, but for Penny sleep never came. _You are Sheldon's exception to everything._ Was she? Yeah, he let her get away with a lot that the other guys didn't, but she rather thought it was because she wouldn't have it any other way. But… what if it was because he made the allowances? The past five years began to replay through her mind as she compared what she knew, what she felt, and what she thought she knew.

By the time dawn came Penny still hadn't found sleep or answers.


	5. Chapter Five

_The Quest for Penny._

_A "The Big Bang Theory" FanFic by Mme Moirae._

_I own nothing._

_I hope you enjoy._

_(Reviews are like chocolates. Please feed, I'm very okay being conditioned to write more.)_

* * *

><p><em>Muted sunlight drifted in through the edges of the shades drawn over Penny's bedroom window and gently illuminated the handsome face and gently squared jaw before her. Part of it was shadowed from the lingering darkness in the bedroom, but she could still see how his eyes, bright like the first streaks of blue across a morning sky, focused on her. For hours they hadn't looked away – nor had hers. His soft lips were caught in a ghost of a smile, one so real and vibrant at its heart that shook her to the core. He'd used it on her a few times that night. <em>

_There hadn't been any words between them. Face to face they'd merely laid beside each other, fingers gently twined and legs ever so lightly touching. She couldn't tell if they were bare or not, but it didn't matter. In his eyes she saw nothing but pure, deep love that touched at her in a way nothing else had before. In his eyes she saw truth. Had she ever felt this way before? She could not think of any other time where her heart felt so light and free, and yet so utterly captured. He was guarding it, holding it within his hands, and she knew without a doubt he'd keep it safe._

_He was her knight. He always had been. _

"_I don't understand," she whispered, felt the first flutter of her lashes as his warm breath exhaled over her cheek. A moment later the shadows shifted and the bed gave the smallest of creaks; his lips were a whisper on her cheek, one she warmed to in a moment. _

"_You're my exception to everything."_

_Penny's eyes closed as she and her heart sighed. Instinctively her body leaned into his warmth and she felt his legs slowly raise and shift to slide further over hers. He was drawing her into the cocoon of his arms and she went without protest. Her face found the intimate warmth of his neck and she inhaled his scent, took in deep. Talc. God, she loved this smell. How many bottles of talc had she bought over the years and hidden? Used on items she knew he wouldn't know about? That Leonard wouldn't know about? (Shoes, of course, had been a big one.) Now she soaked him in, curled herself into the subtle strength of his long, lanky form. _

"_Penny..."_

_She didn't want to look up. Somehow she knew if she dared to lift her head that something was going to change again. She didn't want to change now! Sheldon Cooper was holding her in his arms! She couldn't let go now... she couldn't._

"_Penny..."_

"_No..." Softly Penny groaned and pressed her face further into his neck. Just then the dim of knocking slipped through the tethers of her subconscious and pulled at her. Oh, she didn't want to go! Her arms positively tightened around Sheldon and she whimpered as the knocking increased. _

_Knock, knock, knock!_

"Penny!"

Penny jolted up in bed and found herself nearly falling to the floor! Grabbing at the blankets and headboard, a second later she was screaming and rearing back as her eyes popped open on Sheldon hovering above her! He seemed to recall exactly what happened the _last_ time he hovered above her in sleep and went leaping back with his own scream, his hands flying up over his face.

"Don't punch me!" He yelped in the high pitched tone laced with frantic panic just as Penny cried out –

"Sheldon! What the hell!"

Gasping for breath, startled all too much from a beautiful dream by the same man in the dream, Penny fought to steady her heart as her fingers clutched around the sheet. For several moments neither said anything as they stared at each other, Sheldon's hands eventually lowered from his face and the look of potential horror gone. It wasn't until she finally pressed her lips together that she realized they'd been trembling.

"Sheldon..." She swallowed at the lump in her throat and threw a hasty look to the alarm clock. 12:11 PM. Saturday. "What do you want?" What was he doing in her bedroom? It didn't seem the relevant question to ask considering she knew why: he was here because he wanted something and she hadn't answered the door.

Except, he wasn't answering her. Those gorgeous eyes of his were wide and focused on her, yes, but his mouth refused to move. And the look in this eyes – oh God! Before Penny knew it she was flushing with warmth, her cheeks flaring bright pink. Sheldon Cooper was looking at her almost like he had that Christmas when she'd given him the napkin signed by Leonard Nimoy, except … it was heated. Like a lover.

_Or like the dream._

Still, it had her looking down and clearing her throat – and then she saw it. Her nipples were hard as rocks and poking through the thin camisole she'd worn to bed. Shit! Barely suppressing a groan, Penny was slipping out of bed and grabbing her nearby pink robe.

"Sheldon!" She softly snapped, just firm enough to get his attention. There was far too much of the dream left inside of her – and _that look_ – for her to be even remotely biting. Even if he had woken her up...

As if he were rebooting himself, Sheldon's eyelids fluttered a few times and then he slowly turned to her. Remembering his true purpose, or perhaps merely setting aside the past few minutes, he spoke far too calmly moments later.

"I came to deliver a package left by the postman yesterday. Certified, of course, or I would have not have dared threaten my life by disturbing you." Quickly he moistened his lips as Penny summoned a small, yet not heartfelt, glare. "As I am going to be absent for the rest of the day -"

"Wait. What?"

His eyes widened a little. Likely at having been interrupted.

"As I was saying," Yep, it had been because he'd been interrupted. "As I am going absent for the rest of the day, I wanted to ensure the successful delivery before I left in case I also did not see you this evening. When you failed to answer the door I ..."

Now it was Penny's eyes that widened a little when he trailed off. That wasn't like Sheldon. The long winded answer, yes, though it hadn't seemed quite... like him. Was she still dreaming? Slowly exhaling, Penny sank down onto the edge of the bed and looked up at him. Waited. It took him shifting his eyes down to his feet and the words to come tumbling out for him to finish.

"I was worried. You did not come over last night after work for Vintage Game night, though I distinctly recall you being present the previous three weeks. Nor did you mention having another prior engagement for Friday night unlike Thursday." Penny winced a little, still too half asleep to catch herself; she wasn't sure if Sheldon saw it as he continued on without missing a beat.

"You also did not answer any of my texts that I sent since eleven."

Sheldon... had been worried about her. Genuinely worried. There hadn't been a single motive listed beyond that worry. She wasn't required for vintage game night; her presence wouldn't effect partners, whether he won or lost. Without saying it... Sheldon Cooper had missed her.

Shit. She really wasn't awake enough for this! And, oh, she wanted to be.

_You're his exception to everything._

"Sheldon," she began softly and was about to reach up to take his hand, her fingers stirring in her lap, before she paused. Yes. She was his exception – that she believed without a doubt now – but that didn't mean she could simply throw everything she knew about him out the window. Did Sheldon even realize his feelings for her? That there were feelings there? Obviously he had to know something – he was a genius – but how would he classify them?

For a moment she internally paused and eyed herself. Classify? Really?

"Yes?"

Focusing back up at him, she smiled and slowly stood from the bed until she was standing before him. They were within arm's reach, she could easily reach out and settle her hands on his arms, but she didn't. Not yet. That had to have been a huge step for Sheldon. With a positive response – not one too over the top – he could perhaps see it as... okay for him to express that with her.

"Where are you going today?"

His eyes flashed up to hers. She was smiling, in that soft and demure manner that had his eyes brightening again – just the way she loved seeing and she knew she had made the right choice. "Leonard, Raj, and I are off to the fun and delights of Carney's at Studio City, a -"

"A hot dog stand. Some railroad car thing, yeah, yeah."

"It is a converted railroad dining car, Penny."

Her heart flipped then as she watched his eyebrows raise in that condescending manner, but there wasn't an ounce of bite in his voice. Oh no. His eyes were shining bright as ever because she knew what he was talking about. She had, however, interrupted him again and that had his lips pinching a little. Teeth bit down onto her lower lip to fight back her grin.

"Following Studio City we would normally see Travel Town, however it is reportedly closed for renovations and maintenance." That was said with a small eye roll. "Therefore, we have decided to honor our sacred childhoods – or for the more gifted, such as myself, hellish – and pay tribute by seeing The Muppets. There is also a comic book store in Hollywood that we have decided to browse for worth, and naturally the day will end at the Hollywood Carney's."

Penny had to smile that he didn't go into an explanation of the second hog dog stand. Yeah, her Whack-a-doodle had a day planned all right, one that sounded perfect for him.

And her.

"Want a fourth?"

"Pardon?"

If Penny could have captured that look on Sheldon's face she would have. She'd have a copy for her wallet, another framed and hung on her wall, and the other saved as her computer wallpaper. It was a look of pure joy, bewilderment, confusion, and as if he hadn't at all heard her right.

"Give me ten minutes to get ready."

"Oh, Penny." The look was gone in a heartbeat and her Sheldon came back. "Why do you constantly overestimate your ability to be punctual? We will be leaving in thirty minutes. Ten minutes, indeed..."

* * *

><p>Penny was ready in twenty-three minutes. She'd taken the quickest shower ever in her life – and sang the entire time. In the past forty-eight hours since she'd seen Bernadette and that nugget had been planted in her head the more and more it sounded so good. So true. Maybe this wasn't part of her wild imagination. Maybe this wasn't just her. She couldn't have been imagining the way Sheldon kept looking at her, and the worry?<p>

Did she need any more evidence? Sheldon Cooper definitely felt something, whether or not he knew it or could admit it, and that wasn't something she was about to push. Today she was going to enjoy the day with him and see how things felt. More, this was a good chance to observe him. And, as much as she hated to admit it, especially with Raj and Leonard being there. They could act like a buffer that she could very well need.

She loved physical affection and it was one of the key ways she always knew if a guy was interested in her and how she could relay her own interest. Flirty hands and light touches, lingering hugs, the brush of thighs, and more were all signals to her. Sheldon wasn't like that, though.

Her spending the day with him and his friends? That spoke volumes.

Even if one of those friends was her ex-boyfriend and the other she had almost slept with.

That had a small frown tugging on her lips as she finished blow drying her hair and pulled it back into a loose braid that ran down her back; she hadn't missed how Sheldon seemed to like that hair style, as well as when she left her hair loose. The frown stayed as she sighed and undid the braid, combed out her hair to leave it down, grabbed a Penny Blossom from the sink counter to pin back one side. It was a bright blue blossom, one that reminded her of his eyes and had the frown instantly easing.

Okay, so it wasn't going to be easy dealing with Leonard and Raj, but if she didn't start facing that now it wasn't going to get easier. Today was just going to be her tagging along for converted railroad dining cars and a movie she otherwise wouldn't have seen. (Oh no, nothing odd about that!) But, she reasoned, there wasn't going to be anything to defend – exactly – as she and Sheldon hadn't talked yet. (Though, they would be talking. _Very soon_.)

Coming out of the bathroom, she tossed through piles of clothes until she found the pair of wedge sandals she wanted. A smile flashed as she stepped into them and realized she still wouldn't reach Sheldon's height – wouldn't come close. (Not unlike Leonard.) She'd kept her attire simple for the day, a pair of low waist jeans and a yellow tube top that she thought bright out the highlights in her hair and the subtle tan in her skin; it was a shirt she'd seen Sheldon glancing over before.

He glanced at it again when the door swung open and a light smile caught his mouth. "Twenty-three minutes. Very good, Penny."

Oh God, she was already beaming.


	6. Chapter Six

_The Quest for Penny._

_A " Big Bang Theory " FanFic by Mme Moirae._

_I own nothing._

_Gentle Readers,_

_I hope you enjoy._

_(Reviews are like chocolates. Please feed, I'm very okay being conditioned to write more.)_

* * *

><p>As Penny's face radiated up at his modest praise, Sheldon felt that familiar warmth spread through him. After five years the warmth no longer took him by surprise and there were many times he found himself <em>wanting<em> that feeling. (To want an emotion had been an even greater hurdle than adjusting to the experience and he still often found himself having to make room for acceptance.) Why wouldn't he want to feel the way he did whenever she smiled up at him like that? Before he didn't understand why people were so apt to socialize, why so many were focused on pair bonding and mating, and while sex was something his mind refused to entirely compute, he understood the whys a lot better now... and knowing why was always a scientist's greatest battle.

Until Penny stormed her way into his life with her cheery nature and breathtaking smile, emotions had never been at the forefront of his mind or really within his spectrum of notice. That was, emotions he didn't know what to do with, how they would be responded to, or if they were even okay to be felt. Anger, passion, dedication, betrayal, determination, those were emotions he could acknowledge and use in his field, ones his mind knew what to do with. What future Noble prize winner needed anything else that his mother and MeeMaw couldn't provide? Until Penny he'd never noticed anything was missing from his life.

Until Penny he never realized his life had been missing more than his future Noble prize.

No one cooed like Penny did. She might not understand his work (okay, scratch might), but she supported it and him, and she believed in him. He knew how Leonard, Raj, and Howard scoffed at him – really, it had to be more of jealously than anything else considering he was a far superior being – but Penny? She smiled at him, knew precisely what buttons to push, and she might call it gibber-gabber, but she paid attention and she had never dismissed him or his brilliance. There was such sincerity in her when she cared for him, and though at times she'd glared at him at the request, she sang Soft Kitty and rubbed Vic's counter clockwise into his chest; in his head the voice of his mother singing Soft Kitty had already been replaced by Penny's.

Was it any wonder she was meant for him?

Approvingly his eyes flickered over the top she wore; yellow really was one of her best colors. He wished she'd wear it more often.

"Under the assumption you haven't eaten breakfast I've taken the liberty of setting out some coffee and a bear claw," he informed her as he stepped back to permit her inside. Inner approval soared when the top of her head nearly grazed his shoulder – she was wearing heels, a detail he quite liked as it brought her closer to his height and carried her scent easier to him.

"Aw. Breakfast? That's... really nice, Sheldon. Thought Carney's was up first, though." There was a hint of confusion in her voice, but she still headed straight for the kitchen. He saw her pause at the counter where he had set out a clean coffee mug – the one she usually used when she did not bring a cup over – and a freshly brewed pot of coffee.

"It was, but there's been a change of plans." His lips slightly tightened. "Raj's brother sent him a new Patang -"

"A Patang?" She glanced up from looking at the bear claw as if she had never seen her favorite pastry before.

Sheldon did not miss the mischievous flash through her eyes. "Yes, a Patang. An Indian kite for kite fighting." The roll of her eyes went ignored, but he did not launch into a summarized history of kite fighting in India as he could have - and part of him wanted to. "In lieu of the new Patang we've agreed to start our day with a fun, spirited round of kite fighting."

The bear claw hovered in front of Penny's mouth and with a small, inward groan, he watched her put it down.

"Kite fighting? Sheldon, I don't have a kite."

"Already solved. I have an extra you may use."

"A'right, but..." Penny hesitated, finally took a bite from the pastry. He did not have to reach for patience as his distraction came then. It was only for a couple seconds, that was all he permitted, but there was a reason why he noticed her chewing habits - he loved watching her supple lips move. "I, um - I've never done the whole kite flying thing. In Nebraska we shoot things from the air. Pew, pew."

"That does not surprise me, Penny, and something I have taken into consideration." Frankly, Sheldon was ecstatic that Penny was not familiar with kite fighting - he had been counting on it. "It's no matter at all as I will be happy to teach you."

"Hey, Penny! Happy to teach what?" From the hallway leading to their bedrooms Leonard appeared. As usual he was wearing one of his hoodies, returning to the casual geek look that Priya had temporarily changed. He seemed far more comfortable in these clothes than anything she had picked out for him. There was a huge smile on his face at merely looking at Penny and Sheldon's muscles tensed as he watched his roommate advance closer to the kitchen.

Inwardly Sheldon was staring at Leonard with his gaze of death. Not only did he feel robbed of time (as usual, really), but Penny was about to smile at him and instead her eyes went swinging away! That the expression in them dimmed appeased him a little. Leonard really did have a way of spoiling things! It was past time he took care of that.

"Sheldon's going to show me how to kite fight!"

The brightness in Penny's tone began to calm his inner frustrations with Leonard, though it only took his roommate and colleague two seconds to ruin it - again.

"What? But you don't like kite fighting."

Of course, the confusion in Leonard's tone was rather rewarding.

"Now, Leonard, you can't say that." Sheldon stepped in, gave Penny a moment with her bear claw that she had been trying to take another bite of. "As Penny has never flown a kite before she cannot determine that yet."

Leonard's dark brows winged up. "All right, that may be, but she never accepted any of my invitations for kite fighting." His eyes flickered between his roommate and his ex-girlfriend, focused on the latter - who merely shrugged and took a sip of coffee.

"You never included lunch and a movie?"

Leonard's stance tightened a little defensively. "Carney's and The Muppets? That's the big lure? You hate trains and last year when we displayed our Muppet costumes, you laughed!"

"Hey! That's not true!" Penny exclaimed.

"No? You've never expressed interest in them before!" Defended Leonard just as Sheldon's voice pitched.

"You laughed?" Sheldon's eyes went a little wide on Penny. "But you said my Kermit looked authentic!"

He could feel his lower lip just slightly start to tremble. Leonard's low self-esteem could not accept the fact that Penny was more apt to go kiting on Sheldon's invitation than his (and was likely remembering how she had opted for football with her friends than kite fighting); it did not matter that Leonard was clueless to the most important matter because this had given him enough ammunition. Now to hear Penny had laughed about his baby Muppet costume? This was not part of the scheduled day! Darn Leonard.

Penny let out a sigh and shook her head; Sheldon didn't miss the quick daggers she eyed Leonard with. When she looked back to Sheldon, however, the gaze had softened.

"I did laugh, yes, but that was more at Howard in his Gonzo costume - the nose was in such the wrong place. You make a great Kermit."

It was not what she said that soothed his slightly ruffled feathers, but ... her tone. It always came back to her tone, the way she spoke and the expression in her eyes. Especially when she said that last line about him being a great Kermit; he could have sworn her eyes were sparkling. Then, of course, Leonard came back into the conversation, or at least tried. The moment he went to open his mouth Sheldon's gaze pinned him and held him silent; if Leonard was only to cause problems he may just have to stay home!

"Now, Leonard, I'm surprised at you. After all your bemoaning over the years how you want more time with Penny, even despite her attempts to avoid you at times, here are you complaining! And attempting to start fights! I will have no fighting in this apartment. You know how I feel about arguments."

Penny's eyes fixated on her coffee.

"I wasn't starting a fight! Or complaining." Leonard's arms crossed tight across his chest just as Sheldon's eyes narrowed a little.

They all knew what was coming: Sheldon's shoulders tensed a little, his chin lifted with the natural air of superiority, and his chest puffed out a little. "And you have just earned yourself a strike."

Leonard muttered under his breath and glanced to Penny as she purposely kept herself busy with the last few bites of the bear claw. That was two strikes now after getting one last week for something equally inane.

"I'm really not complaining," he defended again, though in a much smaller voice. "I'm just... confused." Bewildered might be a better word.

"Considering the chaotic and useless state of your research I'm not surprised," Sheldon snorted.

Seeing Penny done with breakfast he moved for his wind breaker once wiping down the space of counter she'd used and rinsing out her coffee cup. He didn't need to see Leonard's expression to know his roommate was far more focused on being insulted than why Penny was with them. Leonard was far too easily manipulated at times, and his overly sensitive nature and battered sense of self worth were much hotter buttons to push than anything female related. (Women did come in second, though.) Using Leonard's frailty against himself had not only proved useful in keeping espionage activities and determining factors hidden, but gave Sheldon a way to needle back at him.

Frankly, after seeing Leonard treat Penny like a piece of meat in their relationship, Sheldon wanted to do a more than simply needle.

After assured that Leonard had the kites in the trunk, the three piled into Leonard's car and headed for Raj's. The topic of discussion was, of course, that Leonard's research was not chaotic or useless.

* * *

><p>In contrast to Leonard's reaction, Raj gave a friendly smile and waved at Penny when he saw her; he didn't at all seem surprised to see her there. That was rather nice, she thought as she returned his smile, greeted him vocally despite knowing that he could not - he hadn't had any liquor yet today, after all. The rest of the drive was in relative peace, Leonard having eventually moved on from Sheldon's well-timed insult and seemed now more interested in the patang stowed carefully in the trunk. However, she did not at all miss the few looks he tossed her way in the rear view mirror, even if she did not return a single one.<p>

She wanted to be shocked at how Leonard was reacting... but could she really be? He was entirely clueless about her feelings for Sheldon and that meant he was even more unaware of Sheldon (possible) feeling about her. (Eh, scratch the possible.) That did not matter, though, because he was still convinced that he loved her, they were meant together, and he felt threatened. That was the bottom line. He could not conceive how she would actually want to go kite fighting, to Carney's, and a movie when he had not been involved with the planning. Despite that she was considered part of their group she did not make a great deal of appearances outside of the norm.

If she wanted to be fair to him she could admit that it was because of him that she had a place in the group at all - technically he had been the one who first invited her over for lunch. He'd been the one who kept up the lines of communication, though she'd known then as she did now that he'd done so out of his interest for her. Since she could be a little fair to him - he only marginally annoyed her this morning - she would thank him later for being the person who brought her and Sheldon together. It did not take a genius to know that alone Sheldon would not have approached her or invited for lunch or anything that happened as a result. They would be complete strangers who merely lived across the hall from each other, and that was a rather sad thought and fate. For that alone Leonard deserved a high five.

They arrived to a relatively active park – not surprising considering how perfect the weather was! – but were able to find decent parking and secure two good spots for their kite fighting teams. It was not until the four of them were in the park that Penny finally saw the extra kite Sheldon had for her. The thing had been covered the whole way from the car! Like some special military secret, she thought with a small roll of her eyes. The inner sarcasm was gone a heartbeat later when Sheldon removed the kite cover and revealed a magnificent phoenix.

Penny's breath caught in her throat as she took in the kite. Neither too large or too small, the main body of the mythical creature was done in pink silk, the feathers, so detailed in their shape and painted ridges along the edges, were a ripple of gold and trimmed with purple; six long tails rippled down in gold and purple and had scalloped edges of silver. Along the middle tail was _P E N N Y _painted onto the silk with perfectly neat brushstrokes in black ink. The kite looked as if it could sail around the world and take her for the ride.

"Sheldon…" What did she say? It was beautiful! It was a kite, but it was beautiful and…

"I wanted to make sure you liked the kite. The Phoenix seemed appropriate as it rises from the ashes to live again and one can only speculate how your first kite fighting experience will go. However, I would not compare the bird's song with yours." He spoke so quickly that Penny had to glance up at him, her fingertips lingering on the silk phoenix. His lips were a little pinched; they relaxed the moment she smiled.

"Sheldon, I love it. It's gorgeous! And hey, I have my very own mythical creature!" She was not even going to comment about his indirect jab about her singing ability or lack thereof.

"Penny, one cannot own a mythical creature. They are mythical and –"

"Sheldon, shut your hole and take my thanks," she said in a rather sweet voice.

He said nothing as his eyes shifted briefly to where Raj and Leonard were approaching after briefly leaving to get a couple waters. Already Leonard was suspiciously eying Penny's kite – he would have remembered Sheldon having a kite like this one - something she saw when her eyes flickered over to the pair. Damnit! She wanted to be able to really enjoy this kite (seriously?) and more so the fact that Sheldon got this for her. Specifically for her. (Later she could question just when he really did buy the kite.)

Thankfully, Sheldon seemed more prepared for this question from Leonard, and when Leonard inquired, he simply said:

"Oh, I've had this one for years. Originally I purchased it for Missy, but when she did not display any interest in kite fighting I stored it away in case I ever needed an extra. Now Penny can use a real one instead of that Hello Kitty excuse for a kite. I don't know what Howard was thinking."

He must have practiced because his right eye only squinted a little with the lie and that could have been from the sun. Leonard seemed to accept the response, perhaps because he did not get a glimpse of the tail with Penny's name on it. That would have opened a completely new can of worms, and while she was pretty sure Sheldon had answers ready, she'd rather they didn't have to be. Penny was simply happy Leonard did not start with more questions or looks and merely took his kite and Raj with his kite to their determined spot.

She was even happier when the moment she and Sheldon were alone he smiled at her.

Today was going to be a good day.


	7. Chapter Seven

_The Quest for Penny._

_A "__ Big Bang Theory " FanFic by Mme Moirae._

_I own nothing._

_Gentle Readers,_

_It has been quite some time since I last posted and for that I deeply apologize. Life, as it's apt to do, went into some very chaotic and hectic times, swinging me from one coast t__o another and about to go yet another part of the country, and sadly this story got tucked away. However, it did not stray far from my thoughts and I'm now pleased to say that I'll be continuing this until its completed. I'm not sure how quickly the futu__re chapters will come, but they'll be here! Thank you for your patience._

_I hope you enjoy._

_(Reviews are like chocolates. Please feed, I'm very okay being conditioned to write more.)_

_EDIT: This is a reupload! I should have noticed how off the chapter was with the word count, but was so excited to update again that I posted only part of Chapter Seven. Here it is in full!_

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><p>By mutual consensus, it was allowed for Penny and Sheldon to have additional time before the actual battle began. Penny was rather relieved considering that while the phoenix kite looked fabulous, she had a suspicion she would be "rising from the ashes" all too often. It also gave her the prime opportunity to wiggle out some more information from Sheldon.<p>

"When did you really buy this kite?" she asked softly as Sheldon gently took hold of the pink silk kite body. He paused and she saw as his fingertips very lightly stroked along the edge, his eyes refusing to meet hers. "Sheldon..."

"I told you, Penny, it was some time ago." He wouldn't look at her, eyes kept firmly on the phoenix. A frown tugged on her lips; she wasn't about to let him evade answering her – truthfully.

"When precisely?"

"I don't see how it matters when I purchased the kite, Penny."

Her brows rose a little. "It matters. Maybe not to you, but it does to me."

"Why?" Now his head lifted and gaze squarely met hers. In them she saw the genuine curiosity... and, maybe, hope? She couldn't tell what the shine in his eyes was precisely, maybe it was even the sunlight. She had to swallow the sudden lump in her throat before she could respond.

"Because -"

"Rocket to Command. Are we a go?" Leonard's voice came through the walkie-talkie clipped at Sheldon's hip. Sheldon wasted no time in responding, his eyes tearing away from Penny, but not before she saw the flashes of fear and relief.

"Five minutes to launch. And, you are not rocket. That name was vetoed in the car." Sheldon's lips firmed and he took in a slowly measured breath before looking back to Penny. "Now, Penelope, we'll launch your kite first. Please, do pay attention."

He wasn't going to return to the conversation about the kite – not yet anyway, Penny mused, deciding to ignore him calling her Penelope. Letting the matter and name slide for now, she turned her focus onto Sheldon's instructions. She wasn't sure why, but whenever he explained things to her – anything, really – she was far more apt at not only remembering, but understanding. It was different than with Leonard, who was more concerned about impressing her rather than teaching. Sheldon, maybe surprisingly, was incredibly patient with her – from trying to teach her psychics to now, showing her the ropes of kiting and kite fighting.

Today, however, Penny's attention kept wandering. Sheldon's hands were mesmerizing to watch, the long, elegant fingers of a pianist that expertly handled the kite and its string; they moved with such confidence, smooth and knowing. There was a moment when Penny's mind blanked as she imagined those hands elsewhere – touching her. In the next instant she was remembering the dream from last night, how those same hands framed her cheek, lightly dusted over her body. What would it feel like to have Doctor Cooper exploring her body? Would he be clinical? Curiously passionate? Maybe he'd –

"Penny? Penny!"

"Hmm? What? Oh!" Thick lashes fluttered as she focused back at Sheldon and struggled to keep a blush from flushing over her cheeks and neck.

"Pay attention. I have your kite launched, take the handle. It's time to decimate." He transferred the handle of the kite to her, blue eyes alight with the oncoming heat of battle. It really was cute how caught up he could get in his games and hobbies.

Somehow Penny didn't really think they were going to decimate, though – this wasn't Halo, after all. Keeping the kite in the air seemed easy enough, she was mostly worried about actually maneuvering the Phoenix and the fighting aspect.

"So, what's the point again?"

Sheldon threw her a slightly exasperated look. "The first team to take down another kite wins. We accomplish this by subterfuge and deft skill. Normally Leonard and I would devise a plan, a battle strategy, but considering how often you don't keep to them in Halo I am forgoing that for now."

Penny barely caught the tic in his eyes. She grinned, maybe a little too smugly. "So, just like Halo I'll distract and you keep me covered?" Having noticed his previously used personal plan of action earned her a look of stunned adoration, one all too quickly smothered.

"Now, show me again how to move this bird left and right," she continued before Sheldon could entirely compose himself. "I can't quite figure it out."

It was a lie, Penny knew. Maneuvering the kite required a light but firm touch, and like with Halo, eye and hand coordination that Penny had loads of. The lie, however, accomplished just what she wanted – Sheldon stepping up behind her, close enough that she felt the heat from him seep into her back, and his arms coming around her without a second thought. If she tipped her head back she would have found his shoulder; she was tempted, greatly, to do just that and lightly nuzzled. Doing that, however, would have cost her the feel of his hands hovering above hers and the reward that came moments later. He moved them so shyly, as afraid a single touch would jolt him from existence – or highly concerned over the germs she carried – before resolve poured through him and he laid his hands over hers.

The tingle started in her fingertips and swept all the down through her toes. It was practically impossible, but somehow Penny managed not to grin too widely.

* * *

><p>"Wow," Rajesh Koothrappali breathed out, his eyes glued to the small binoculars tightly clasped in his hands. Normally used for scooping out women or bids (really more bird watching than women unless Howard was present), today he found something much more interesting – Sheldon putting the moves on Penny. At first he hadn't been sure considering Sheldon was showing her how to handle the kite, but the more he watched, seeing the expressions on their faces, lead him to a single conclusion.<p>

Was he really seeing this?! Sheldon looked practically pressed into Penny's backside, his hands over hers, and his head dipped low, mouth close to her ear. And Penny... looked dreamy. Delighted. She had on the same expression when trying on a pair of Gucci heels, only it was softer. Romantic. Not only was Sheldon flirting with Penny – a sight enough to cause a possible heart attack – but Penny was receptive, bright eyed and smiling.

"Wow," he repeated, this time getting Leonard's attention, his friend's eyes narrowing.

"Hey, enough gawking. Our time is almost up and you know how Sheldon is."

Raj didn't comment on the whiny tone – it was too common to be remarked upon – but he did lower the binoculars, slid his friend a quick look. Leonard was already put out enough over Penny accepting Sheldon's invitation and further annoyed when Sheldon selected her for his team. To witness or hear how close the pair were now would send him into a paranoid rant where Raj would be forced to calm and assure him that the man to be paranoid over was one everyone suspected to be a nonsexual robot... except what he'd seen suggested they were all very wrong.

"Sheldon has his kite up and is signaling. Okay, Raj, let's focus on Penny's kite. She's going to be the weakest link," Leonard snapped, his thick brows netted together in concentration.

Raj's brows shot upward at Leonard's tone even as he picked up his kite handle. Inwardly he sighed, somehow knowing they were all in for a rude awakening.

* * *

><p>"To the victors belong the spoils! The only decent quote ever said by the former Senator and Secretary of State William Marcy."<p>

Sitting beside Sheldon Penny beamed and raised her glass of iced tea to gently clink against his – and tried to ignore how Leonard was simultaneously scowling and pouting across the booth. Her ex's expression hadn't changed much since she and Sheldon won the kite fight, Leonard's kite lost to the battle. What else could she expect, though?

"I must say, Penny, you kited exceptionally well for a novice," Sheldon praised, preening. His team had won, after all, and now they were at Carney's, one of his favorite places to eat, and no one had made too much of a fuss when he sat beside Penny in the booth.

"Like an Indian Kite Goddess," Raj chimed in after taking a sip of his malt beverage, his expression already brightening and eyes glinting a little. "Sexy and skilled with your hands!"

Leonard's expression darkened – went ignored by all, especially Penny. She was still determined not to let him spoil a so far incredibly day. That she was having such a good time came as a genuine surprise. It was kiting, after all, not something she expected to give her a thrill. But, it had… and spending the time with Sheldon made it all the better.

"Maybe you'll come next time, too," Raj suggested, taking another drink.

"I'm sure Howard won't be absent again," Leonard cut in, finally speaking up as his eyes flashed to Penny, then Sheldon. "No reason for Penny to tag along." He forced a brittle smile to form.

Briefly Penny narrowed her eyes at him, felt her temper spiking. "Maybe Penny would like to. And maybe Leonard should lighten up."

"Yeah," Sheldon chimed in, frowning at his roommate. "By all accounts Penny enjoyed herself and proved amazingly adept at handling her kite. You're just jealous that she and I won and you lost your kite. Do try not to be a sore loser," commented, eyes calmly accusing. Not that Sheldon could be painted as a fair loser, either, but that went unsaid.

Leonard's lips parted, but he said nothing, instead scowling back down at his water. No one said much of anything during the remainder of lunch, nor during the car ride to the preselected movie theater for The Muppets. Penny could feel the tension, though. Leonard hadn't stopped throwing her and Sheldon dark, curious and skeptical looks, which Sheldon either hadn't noticed or was content to ignore while he gave an impromptu lesson on the history of The Muppets and their creator, Jim Hansen. Raj merely sat quietly beside her, which was a little unusual considering he had two malt beverages at lunch and enjoyed chatting; he actually appeared thoughtful, strangely enough. She was still determined not to let Leonard spoil the day, even if he was grating on her nerves, but somehow she wasn't sure if she'd succeed.

Whoever could have thought she was not only good at kite fighting, but enjoyed it? There'd been a sense of power when manipulating the kite – the phoenix – and a rush of thrill seeing it soar in the air, deeper when she and Sheldon worked together to bring down Leonard's kite. More than that, she could still feel Sheldon's hands on hers, his breath against her ear. Dr. Whack-a-Doodle had some smooth moves and didn't even know it.

There was a soft smile playing over her lips by the time they arrived to the theater, Leonard more annoyed now by Sheldon's lecture than the kite fighting. Tickets purchased, all by Leonard who thankfully didn't raise his brows at Sheldon paying him for Penny's share. Once inside, Sheldon patiently stood in the concession line, pleased that they had blue and red Icee's available, though he only ordered red to accompany his red vines.

"Anything else?"

At the employee's question he expectantly looked at Penny.

"Just a diet Coke, please."

"A diet Coke and a small buttered popcorn," Sheldon amended, sliding her a look. "You always eat popcorn when watching a movie."

Penny's lips parted – not to argue, but in surprise that he'd noticed. Then again, Sheldon did tend to notice a lot.

"Thank you, Sheldon." The smile she gave him was returned with a pleased expression that remained, despite a glowering Leonard, all the way into the theater.

Having previously attended this particular theater Sheldon already knew where the "acoustic sweet spot" was – thankfully. Penny had heard horror stories from the boys before how Sheldon would pinpoint the perfect seats. To their luck – more so due to them being part of the mere handful attending – the seats were available. In the shuffle of bodies as they went to claim them, however, Penny found herself on the end – three seats away from Sheldon and right next to Leonard. Her ex-boyfriend beamed up and smiled wide at her, not a single trace of innocence in his expression.

Sighing heavily, and with no way not to be obvious about sitting next to Sheldon, she sunk down and stared at the dark screen. She might be stuck sitting next to Leonard but she wasn't about to pretend to be happy about it!


	8. Chapter Eight

_The Quest for Penny._

_A "The Big Bang Theory" FanFic by Mme Moirae. _

_Gentle Readers,_

_Ah, it has been far too long that I have let this story sit idle. Life and circumstances threw a couple curve balls, especially when it came to writing, but I'm so delighted to be back with this story. Now that I'm back in a creative position to resume this story much more will be along the way. For those who've been reading from the beginning and those just joining us I hope you enjoy the scene. Leonard is not as oblivious as one may hope and things are going to get really interesting very quickly. _

_Enjoy!_

_I own nothing._

_(Reviews are like chocolates. Please feed, I'm very okay being conditioned to write more.)_

* * *

><p>Tension gripped the inside of the car. Not a word had been spoken since they left the movie theater – Raj escaping rather quickly by way of simply walking away with a very quick wave – but there was so much Penny wanted to say. No, not say. She wanted to scream. Throughout the entire movie Leonard kept sliding her that mischievous, cheesy smile that always meant he thought he had been smarter, pulled the wool over their eyes, and gotten his way. In the theater, of course, he had. She'd sat next to him the whole time, more than once sliding her hand away when he'd tried to take it like when they'd been dating. More, he hadn't wiped that stupid grin off his face, not even when she'd glared at him when leaving the theater.<p>

Oh, if this was the junior rodeo …

"That was a fun movie."

Penny's eyes narrowed at the back of Leonard's head. "The seating sucked."

"I concur," Sheldon remarked in the passenger seat, gaze slanted out the window.

Leonard's hands tightened around the steering wheel as he cleared his throat, threw Penny a glance in the rear view mirror. "What was wrong with the seating? You used to like sitting next to me at the movies."

Penny's lips parted but nothing came out. What could she say? There was the truth, of course, but was any of them ready for that? Especially Leonard? She wasn't even sure if Sheldon knew what he was doing with her, recognized how he was acting around her – at least, if he knew the reason why, and maybe it wasn't what she thought – hoped – it was. A frown tugged on her mouth as she sat back, tightly crossed her arms beneath her chest. She wasn't blind enough not to see the obvious, to know Leonard had purposely managed to sit next to her and separate her and Sheldon.

"I wanted popcorn. I intended on sharing with Penny."

"... What?" Leonard's head snapped to the side at Sheldon's almost whispered comment. "Since when are you okay with sharing food with someone?! And buttered popcorn? What is with you?"

Sheldon's lips thinned, firmed, as his shoulders tensed. "I'm... experimenting. I'm a scientist, Leonard, it's expected. Besides, I witnessed Penny using hand sanitizer prior to entering the theater, which assured me I wouldn't be coming into contact with too many germs. In addition I had several valuable remarks to make during the film all of which would have enlightened Penny on the cultural significance of Jim Henson and his Muppets. She is woefully uneducated about some... several matters."

The corner of Penny's mouth twitched. It was such a Sheldon response and yet it lightened the tension for her – at least momentarily. At least until Leonard spoke again just as they pulled into the street parking spot in front of the apartment building.

"Every time I think you can't possibly be crazier you prove me wrong."

"I'm not crazy. My mother -"

"Had you tested, yes, yes. She should have gotten a second opinion. Crazy is the only way to explain your behavior today."

In the back seat Penny bit off an oath before suddenly jerking the door open and slamming it shut. In that moment she simply couldn't take Leonard's condescending tone anymore! He tried to pass it off as teasing, but she knew better – heard more than that. If she stayed in the car she would have tore into him and right now she just wanted to be as far away as possible, give herself a chance to sort through everything bouncing around her head. She was dimly aware of being followed, heard Leonard calling out to her, but she didn't wait, instead furiously walking into the building and heading for the stairs. She'd nearly reached the second floor before Leonard's out of breath, annoyed, and confused voice finally stirred her.

"Penny! Wait!"

"No!" Penny whirled, her cheeks flushed and eyes bright, glittering with a barely restrained temper. She stared hard at Leonard and sucked in a breath. Her hands were actually trembling! She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so angry. "You are such an ass! Do you know that?!"

"I'm an ass?! Please, do explain how being confused over my ex-girlfriend and my roommate being suddenly very close makes me an ass!"

"Suddenly close?!"

"Oh, let's see." His face screwed up, lips pinched, he started ticking off his points with his fingers. "You coming out today for kite fighting and The Muppets. Sheldon supplying you with your very own kite, which I highly doubt he originally purchased for Missy. You and he sitting together at Carney's where your elbows must have touched a dozen of times, but he said nothing! Then, the subsequent glares from the both of you during the movie! Let's not forget that this entire week you and he have been acting on a level that is frightening."

"For God's sake, we're friends! And so what if we are getting closer or decide to? What is so wrong with the idea of Sheldon and I?"

Leonard's eyes narrowed quick and hard, his hands tightly rolled into fists at his sides. "First of all, this is Sheldon Cooper we're talking about. The man is a walking robot who has the emotional level of an amoeba! Secondly, what is so wrong with the idea is that you and I are suppose to be together! I still love you, Penny. I've been here waiting! For you!"

"Woah, woah, woah! Back that up. For someone who's been here waiting, lovely job of that you did while sleeping with and being in a relationship with Priya," she snapped, her voice raising even more. Likely everyone in the entire apartment building was able to hear them at this point! She didn't care, though. How could she when Leonard was going on like this?

"And don't you dare talk about Sheldon like that! He is not a robot! While he may want to be stuff his mind into –" Her hand gestured wildly for a second. "Whatever the hell will keep him living forever, that does not make him an unemotional robot! Sheldon cares a hell of a lot more than you do! About me. About his work. His life. Everything!"

"Priya means nothing compared to you, you know that! Oh, you are so out of your mind about Sheldon!" Leonard yelled, breath hitching as he visibly struggled with his own anger. "I have lived with that man for years and can personally tell you -"

"Not a damn thing! Nothing!" She screamed before letting out an infuriated breath and turned to resume storming up the stairs. "You belittle him and insult him because, despite how long you've lived with him, you don't understand him! And if you do, you don't care. All you've ever cared about is yourself! For someone who claims to be such a nice guy, you are a grade A jerk!"

"Are you kidding me?! You've seen how Sheldon can act – how demanding and unforgiving he is. You have complained about him as much as I have since knowing him and now you're defending him?! How exactly am I suppose to process all of this?! It isn't fair!"

"Go to hell!" At the top of the stairs on the fourth floor Penny whirled, fingers clenched tight around the railing – it was abuse the railing or punch Leonard at this point! Whirling back, she sailed across the landing and slammed her way into her apartment.

Breathing heavily, his thoughts and mind in complete disarray, Leonard jerked at Sheldon's steps behind him and turned to see his roommate slowly shaking his head, stark disapproval in his finely sculpted features.

"Do you care to explain what the hell is going on?" Leonard demanded as Sheldon calmly walked by him, unlocked the door to their apartment.

"I doubt you would be able to grasp any level of explanation, Leonard. As I told you in the car, today was an experiment."


End file.
